Kind of speaks volumes about the quality of the combat you usually see - the P-51 can outrun all contemporary German prop fighters and outdive them as well. If you catch them in a dive and a D-9 can catch them at higher altitude, I don't think you've seen a properly flown one.
It's funny though that it would seem that many folks share that impression, and then get grumpy when a couple of well flown P-51's kick their butts repeatedly, unexpectedly. The P-51 is a very capable plane, which not many pilots fully exploit. It certainly has a far worse reputation with both its pilots and its opponents than it deserves.
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